Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Henry’

ABSTRACT

A new distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Sunny Henry’, characterized by white ray floret color 158D with slight green-yellow tinge, RHS 1B, to pure white, RHS 155D; dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to upright stems; vigorous growth habit; less need for chemical growth retardation; and high number of inflorescences per plant.

Genus and species of the plant claimed: Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T Norl.

Variety denomination: ‘Sunny Henry’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T Norl., commonly known by the name Cape Daisy, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunny Henry’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor, Bjarne N. Larsen, in Stige, Denmark. The new Osteospermum originated from a cross made in 2000 by the Inventor between Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T. Norl. designated ‘1.154.93’ (unpatented) and Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T. Norl. variety name ‘Sunny Alex’ (unpatented). The Inventor selected the new Osteospermum cultivar from the progeny of the above crossing in 2002 on the basis of its inflorescence color and compact, freely branching habit. Plants of the new Osteospermum are upright, compact and have a unique color combination of upper and underside of the rayflorets.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings taken and propagated during trial production batches in Stige, Denmark, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in many successive generations.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Sunny Henry’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with the variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, day length, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunny Henry’. The following characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunny Henry’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. White ray floret color, RHS 158D, with slight green-yellow         tinge, RHS 1B, to pure white, RHS 155D.     -   2. Dense and bushy plant form, mainly due to more upright stems.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit; less need for chemical growth         retardation.     -   4. High number of inflorescences per plant.

Plants of the cultivar ‘Sunny Henry’ can be compared to plants of the parental cultivar ‘1.154.93’. Plants of the cultivar ‘Sunny Henry’ differ from plants of the parental cultivar, ‘1.154.93’, primarily in inflorescence color.

Plants of ‘Sunny Henry’ differ from plants of the parental cultivar, ‘Sunny Alex’ in the following characteristics described in Table 1:

TABLE 1 Trait ‘Sunny Henry’ ‘Sunny Alex’ Plant height 15 cm 17 cm Width 18 cm 17 cm Inflorescence Color White Orange-yellow Foliage Single, obovate to Broadly lobed lanceolate

Plants of the cultivar ‘Sunny Henry’ can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ecklonis (DC) T. Norl. cultivar ‘Sunny Gustav’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,670). In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Stige Denmark, plants of the cultivar ‘Sunny Henry’ and the cultivar ‘Sunny Gustav’ differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘Sunny Henry’ has striking white ray florets, RHS 155C, and         white disk florets, RHS N155D, with orange pollen, while ‘Sunny         Gustav’ has a white flower with blue eye.     -   2. ‘Sunny Henry’ has yellow-green-colored leaves while plants of         the cultivar ‘Sunny Gustav’ have darker green leaves.     -   3. ‘Sunny Henry’ has shorter peduncles than plants of the         cultivar ‘Sunny Gustav’.     -   4. ‘Sunny Henry’ is shorter and more compact than the plants of         the cultivar ‘Sunny Gustav’.     -   5. ‘Sunny Henry’ has more and larger inflorescences per plant         than the plants of the cultivar ‘Sunny Gustav’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum cultivar ‘Sunny Henry’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the color of the new Osteospermum cultivar ‘Sunny Henry’.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunny Henry’ as grown in an 11 cm pot.

The second photograph is a close-up of the young and older inflorescences of ‘Sunny Henry’.

The third photograph is a top view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunny Henry’.

The fourth photograph shows the inflorescences and leaves of ‘Sunny Henry’ (in the fourth photograph, ‘Sunny Henry’ is labelled by its breeder's reference no. ‘10.514.01’).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 4^(th) edition, where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions. The plants described were grown for about 20 weeks after cutting.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Perennial plant with upright, globular plant habit;             composite flower heads; freely branching with lateral             flowering branches forming at every node; dense and bushy.         -   Crop time.—After rooting, about 18 weeks are required to             produce finished flowering plants in 11 cm pots.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of plant plane).—About 15             cm.         -   Plant width.—18 cm.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous growth rate.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 18 to 21 C in             tunnels in a greenhouse.         -   Root description.—Fine, well branched.         -   Foliage description.—Leaves alternate, single, pinnate             venation. Length: 3-9 cm. Width: About 30 mm. Shape: Obovate             to lanceolate. Apex: obtuse. Base: attenuate. Margin:             broadly dentate. Texture: smooth, glabrous, shiny. Scattered             short, stiff hairs. Color: Young foliage, upper and lower             surfaces: RHS 147B, yellow-green. Mature foliage upper             surfaces RHS N147A and lower surface RHS 148A. Venation, RHS             148B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and shape.—Tubular disk and ray             florets in composite daisy heads; with 15 parted involucre.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous throughout the spring             and summer. Season can be extended by vernalization and long             day treatments. Hot weather above 30° C. reduces flowering.         -   Inflorescence longevity on the plant.—Longevity of             individual inflorescences is highly dependent on temperature             and light conditions 5 to 9 days. Inflorescences persistent,             ray florets folding and withering slowly.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter about 6 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth.—Typical: 6 mm. Observed: 6 mm. -   Inflorescences:     -   -   Ray florets.—Typical number of ray florets per             inflorescence: 22. Observed number of ray florets per             inflorescence: 20-24. Length: Ray florets: About 27 mm.             Width (diameter): About 8 mm. Ray floret apex: lanceolate,             acute. Ray floret base: attenuate. Ray floret margin:             entire. Ray floret color: Upper surfaces (when opening):             white, RHS 158D, with slight green-yellow tinge, RHS 1B;             under sides (when opening): center, RHS 1B, green-yellow,             with edges RHS 1D, green-yellow; Upper surfaces (fully             opened): white, RHS 155C; under sides (fully opened): RHS             1A, green-yellow, at tip and fading toward base and edges.         -   Disk florets.—Typical number of disks florets per             inflorescence: 55. Observed number of disks florets per             inflorescence: 50-60,. Length: Disk florets: About 4 mm.             Width (diameter): About 2 mm. Disk floret overall shape:             tubular. Disk floret apex: attenuate. Disk floret base:             fused. Disk floret margin: fused. Disk florets color: RHS             N155D, white before anthesis: RHS 156A, greyed-white.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 6 cm.             Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: 144C yellow-green.         -   Phyllary.—Typical number of phyllaries: 15. Observed number             of phyllaries: 15. Length: 6-12 mm. Width: 1-3 mm. Overall             shape: lanceolate. Apex shape: acuminate. Base shape: fused.             Margin: entire. Color: Upper surface: RHS 137D, green; lower             surface: RHS 137D, green. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Location: disc florets only. Anthers: Linear,             fused, stamen, color: RHS 17A, yellow-orange. Pollen: Color             RHS 17A yellow-orange.         -   Gynoecium.—Location of gynoecium: ray and disc florets.             Pistil and stigma: Typical pistil number: 1. Observed pistil             number: 1. Stigma color: RHS 16C yellow-orange.         -   Seed.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 0.3 mm. -   Disease/pest resistance: Good. -   Disease/pest susceptibility: Low. -   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have exhibited     good tolerance to draught, rain and wind, and low temperatures to     −1° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Sunny Henry’, as illustrated and described herein. 